The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-11-24
Copyrighted, 1887, by the Author.
MISS TRUDY'S REASONS.
A THANKSGIVING Story.


motions, shut the front door to which she had
been summoned by Thanksgiving beggar,
having run there at once, with pie out of the
batch she always baked to give away on
Thanksgiving. She did not know who the per-
was, but the person evidently knew her.
and said: THANK you, Miss Trudy. This pie
gives both of us reason for thanksgiving; me
that I've got it, you that you can give it"
'EHumph" said Miss Trudy, IF I hadn't any
better than that for thanksgiving,
shouldn't say much about it" And then she
went back to her pretty little sitting room, it's
blazing fire. and rugs, and rocking chair, its
peacock feathers and fruits, and the great fra
grant lemon tree that she had raised herself
from a seed. She sat down before the fire and
turned oack the skirt of her gown over her
knees, showing, if there had been any one to
see, foot still delicate and pretty as when
Godfrey Masters used to pull on its overshoe-
dear. dear. how many years ago. eyes" said
Miss Trudy to herself. II should say had some
better reasons for thanksgiving than that can
give away squash and mince pies though that's
a good deal. I've reason to thank the Lord for
a whole procession of blessings. Yes; and the
first and chiefest of them all is that I am a
single woman and my own master. 1 can turn
round without anybodys leave, and there's no
man here cluttering up. If that isn't a blessing,
what is? And then there's this house. It's
mine. Aunt Gertrude left me trife of money
for my name, nd put it out at interest, and
in twenty years it bought me this house, this
garden, this little orchard of peach, and pear,
and plum, and apple trees. this pasture, this
COW and this grapevine And I've got what I
had before to live on, and little for the poor.
/ couldn't have done that if I'd married. Yes.
10 ;,,Iz
ters led me such dance, making my heart beat
SO was afraid he'd see it, and then going away,
the Lord knows where. without word, when
I'd all but made up my mind to marry him.
But I'm sure it was merciful escape. Yes
those were cruel days-don't tell me about an
old fool There's fool like a young fool!
And that man made me suffer once. Yes, he
did. 1t gives me a sinking now to remember
the nights used to watch for him and he didn't
come. / never could bear to look at the stars
on a clear winter night since. Humph-yes-
well, we do outgrow things If we live long
enough, and that's reason for thanksgiving
I'm sure. Yes, I'm an old maid and I'm thank
full for it I've often said I wouldn't marry the
best man living I wouldn't marry the Pope of
Rome himself, if he to ask me. I'm my
own property, and everything about me is my
own, and 1 can give away dollar without ask
ing. Jane can't. Look at Jane-she can't say
her souls her And yet. when she was at
home she used to rule all the rest of us children
with rod of iron. And now she says to Jared
Dear think I'll go down town to-day if you'll
let me have the horse And he says. Can't
have the horse. What do you want down town2
Always gadding. Place for woman's home
enough to do at home-stay at homer And
she's stayed at home till everythings blue
she can't see it. People thought Jane was dong
great things when she married Jared
splendid farm. wood lots, bank stock,
a horse and chaise. and a herd
spend from that day to this, for he took what
belonged to her and locked it up with his for
the children; don't suppose she could get it if
she made row; but nobody wants hot water
all the time; and she wears calico, and wear
alpaca, and don't know the day she's had a
new bonnet. She says JARED. can you let me
need of some things, and And he says:
Should think you thought was made of money.
No, can't. You're always in need of some
things And so she Is And he says: IF gave
you money every time you asked for it, we'd be
in the poor house. There amt woman living
can be trusted with cent. any more than a
ballot, and the law puts them there, along with
old men and idiots And she says: But,
Jared, my feet almost through to the
ground You don't want your wife to go bare
foot Says he: They amt quite through, are
theyl Well, them wait till they arer And she
says: L really can't go to conference-or meet
ing-or county fair-or whatever-without I
And he says: Stay at home. them And she
does. And she says: L do wish L had a soft
backed rocking-chair, like Trudys; this one
does hurt by bones So And he says: You're
always wishing. If wishes were horses. beggars
might ride This rocking-chair was good
enough for my mother, and | guess it's good
enough for your Lor sakes! If / had such
husband as that I'd get up in the night and
fitch change out of his pockets And then L
should be a thief-and 1 shouldn't like to be a
thief But that's what mean husband makes
of a woman And there's another for
thanksgiving. | ought, by rights, to get down
on my knees and thank the Lord haven't such
just the sweetest softest hearted girl that ever
lived and she's never had any children of her
own except e.little girl that died. and she's
Ionged for them. and her arms have ached for
them. and she'd give half her life for another
though that's not saying much. for she don't
value her life a straw-and she's married to
Harry Farnsworth And his sister, widow,
with one chi1d-a little angel out of heaven, if
ever there was one-came home one day and
died And there was the boy, and Harry
couldn't afford to board him out, and so Essie
had to take care of him. And she did. And
she grew TO love him so that her whole soul was
bound up in him. And Harry, he hated that
boys father. and. instead of loving the child
used to be all the time looking for the fathers
traits in him. And then ne began to get jealous
of the child. not that he loved Essie so much
he never loved anybody but himself. And the
more he Esse cared for the child the more
he let 1T be seen he didn't care for him. He
didn't strike him-oh. no. Harry Farnsworth
didn't strike him. but his every look and word
were blows for the sensitive little creature. He
never praised the poor dear for anything he
did. let INN try ever so hard to please him, he
never smootheo his hair or patted his cheek or
gave him a kind word or any other word: some
times he'd look at him with his big eyes so like
a wolf that the boy would have to run CRYING
out of the room, and then he'd sheer at him for
a bawl baby; because the boy loved birds and
flowers and all outdoors, ne called him a girl
baby; and because he was delicate and little
thing made him feyerish, he called him a hum
bug. But oh, how dear the child was to Essie.
how she loved hiTnl She would sit with her
arms round him in the twilight when Harry
was off driving his fast horses or doing nobody
knows what, and feel the child's dear little head
on her heart. and lay her cheek on his and love
him So or lie down beside him at night and
feel his arms round her neck. and his dear
breath on her face, and his soft, sweet kisses,